Apparatus for digging and harvesting vegetables



March 27, 1951 s. VELLA 2,546,411

APPARATUS FOR DIGGING AND HARVESTING VEGETABLES Filed Dec. s, 1947 5Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

S ALVATO F? E V ELLA ATTOR EY March 27, 1951 s, VELLA 2,546,411

APPARATUS FOR DIGGING AND HARVESTING VEGETABLES Filed Dec. 3, 1947 6) 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

SALVATO R E VELLA ATTORN Y March 27, 1951 s. VELLA 25 APPARATUS FORDIGGING AND HARVESTING VEGETABLES Filed Dec. 5, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3F'L IIJ INVENTOR. SALVATO RE V ELLA AT TO NEY S. VELLA March 27, 1951APPARATUS FOR DIGGING AND HARVESTING VEGETABLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledDec. 5, 1947 INVENTOR.

SALVATORE VELLA AT TOP? EY Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE APPARATUS FOR DIGGING AND HARVESTING VEGETABLES 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a vegetable digger and harvesterapparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for digging andharvesting onions, turnips, beets, and the like.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusfor digging, topping and crating such vegetables as onions, turnips,beets, or the like, in one continuous operation.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for digging and harvestingvegetables which may be attached to a tractor and receive its operatingpower therefrom.

Still a further object is to provide a vegetable digging and harvestingattachment for a tractor which permits vegetables to be dug out of thefield, cleaned, topped, crated and deposited on the ground in onecontinuous operation while the tractor remains in motion.

In one of its broader aspects the present invention relates to anapparatus for digging and harvesting vegetables adapted for attachmentto a tractor for movement therewith, and including a mobile frameprovided with a digger, an endless conveyor to carry the vegetables fromthe digger rearwardly to deposit them on an endless belt where they arein turn conveyed to a topper adapted to remove the tops from thevegetables. The vegetables leave the topper and fall into a crate on aroller runway which is curved rearwardly after it leaves theneighborhood of the topper, and is provided with a spring-operated slideflap to permit crates of vegetables passing over the roller runway to bedeposited gently on the ground while the tractor is in motion.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the follow description thereof and from the claims appendedthereto.

In the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a top plan of the complete digging assembly and embodies thefeatures of the present invention;

1 Figure 2 is a side elevation of the complete assembly and shows theparts in their relative position;

Figure 3 is a front elevation showing the tractor, digging apparatus andconveyors in their relative positions;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the bottomportion of the conveyor frame and the means for mounting a flexiblewheel assembly thereon;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken Figure 6 is an enlargedsectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 1, in the direction of thearows, and showing the digger blade, conveyor belt and means for raisingand lowering said parts;

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line ofFigure 1, in the direction of the arrows, and showing the means fordriving and operating the harvesting and digging apparatus; 7

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8-8of Figure l, in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the digger blade disposed at theforward end of the side frame.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l0 generally designatesaconventional tractor which has additional power take-offs to operate thedigging and harvesting mechanism of the present in:- vention, in amanner as more fully described hereinafter. As the tractor Hi forms nopart of the present invention, it is not described in detail, but itincludes the usual motor 8 l which drives a power take-off shaft l2,which in turn rotates a spur gear l3, which overlies a gear I l andbeing keyed to separate shafts for rotation therewith. A sprocket gear15 is disposed on the same shaft with gear l4, outwardly thereof. Saidsprocket has an endless chain engaged thereover to also engage asprocket gear i5 suitably rotatably secured to a shaft lGa which extendssubstantially parallel to the power take-off shaft l2, and extendsthrough a side frame of the digging and harvesting assembly, said sideframe being generally indicated by reference numeral il. An idler gearNib is suitably mounted to the side of the tractor and is in engagementwith the endless chain. The purpose of said gear being to keep the chainin constant engagement with said sprocket gears 15 and 16 during theraising and lowering of said side frame [1.

The cross shaft 16a has a sprocket l8 secured thereto, with a secondsprocket I9 positioned on the end of the shaft lfia. The sprocket [8 hasan endless chain 2i] engaging therewith and extend ing upwardly andrearwardly along the frame I! to engage a, sprocket 2|, which is securedto a rotatable shaft 22, which shaft 22 has a second sprocket 23 securedto the other end portion thereof, which sprocket 23 engages an endless"per generally indicated by the numeral 44.

3 chain 24 which extends from the sprocket I 9. Th shaft 22 extendstransversely and exteriorly of the frame 11, and has secured theretoanother sprocket 22a, secured for rotation therewith, which sprocket 22ais provided with a downwardly extending chain 2219, which engages asecond sprocket on a shaft 220 directly beneath sprocket wheel 22% Thevshaft 22c thereby rotates with the shaft 22and is provided with a bevelgear 25 on the end thereof, which engages a bevel gear 26, secured to ashaft 21, disposed in a suitable frame, and drives roller 21a secured tosaid shaft 21.

The mobile side frame I! has upright side members 28 and 29. Adjustablysecured to the forward ends of side members 28 and 29 are guide elements28a and 29a which terminate in pointed portions 30 and 3!, respectively,which engage the ground when the forward portion of frame I! is in itslowered position. A digger bar or mem ber 32 is secured between theguide element's 28a and 29a of the frame it. The digger blade -32 sadjustable, and as shown inFi'gure's 6 and 9 of the drawing, is providedwith a pair of arcuate slots 33 and 34 so that the pitch of the blademay be altered, depending upon the vegetables being plowed or thegeneral condition of the soil. 7

Rearwardly of the digger blade 32 is an endless conveyor chain 35 whichextends upwardly and rearwardly from'said digger blade 32, and is pro-'vided with aplur'a'lity of spaced-apart ladders 35, which are adaptedto receive the vegetables dug upby the digger blade 32, and to conveythem upwardly and rearwardly from said blade 32 to be deposited on asecond endless belt 37, which extends substantially at right angles tothe endless chain 35, and is operated by roller 27a, and roller 2Tbdriven by shaft 21. g

The endless belt '37 is of asoft material so-as to prevent bruising ofthe vegetables as they fall from the endless conveyor chain 35 thereon.At the end of the endless belt 31, remote from the endless chainconveyor 35, there is a cloth slideway 4!. The slideway 41 has inclinedinterior walls so as to guide the vegetables which fall therethrough toas'eco'nd slide 43 and into a top- The topper M is ofconventionalst'ructureand is provided with a plurality of rotatablecutting bars 45, which are powered from the tractor l5, ,through'a powertake-ofi shaft '46, and spring loaded automatic safety clutch mechanism41;. The power take-01f shaft' lfi from the tractor operates the cuttingbars '45 of the topper 44 through a univer's'al'coupling which drives aplu rality of ge'ars5i. 'Said gears are secured to the outer ends of therotatable cutting bars 45 for rotation therewith. The gear drive fromthe universal is so "arranged that each adjacent cutting bar 45 rotatesin an opposite direction.

As the vegetables to be topped fall on the slide 43 and'into the topperdevice 44, they are topped and then deposited in crates 52 which rollalong a roller runway generally indicated by the numeral 53. The rollerrunway 53 is provided with a plurality of roller bars 54, with saidroller runway extending substantially at right angles to the topper 44and the endless conveyor chain35, and substantially parallel to theendless belt 3'5. As the roller runway 53 leaves the topper device 44,it curves rearwardly as at 55. The rollerrunway 53 extends rearwardlyfor a short distance and terminates in a spring-operated slide flap 56,which is vertically movable and is adapted to receive the crate ofvegetables 52 as it passes over 4 roller runway 53 and deposits the samegently on the ground while the tractor is still in motion. The movableslide flap 56 returns to its horizontal position after the crate 52 isdeposited on the ground, through the action of the spring 51.

Between the endless belt 31 and the roller runway 53, there ispositioned a mobile platform 58,

which is provided with spaced-apart wheels 59 and 60. This platform 58is adapted. to hold crates, or the like. The crates are sequentiallypositioned on the roller runway 53, and manually moved thereover by anoperator who sits on the seat 61 where he guides the topped vegetablesfrom the topper 44 appropriately into a crate before shoving itrearwardly to be deposited on the ground while the tractor is still inmotion.

As is sometimes the case, the vegetables being dug have rocks or otherforeign material therein which are not screened out as the vegetablespass upwardly and rearwardly over the conveyor screen 35. Sometimes thisforeign material finds its way over the endless belt 31 and down intothe topper 44. So as to safeguard the topper 44, the safety clutch 47 isprovided so as to break the connection between the drive shaft 45 of thetractor and the driven rotatable cutting bars 45,

in the event that foreign matter is introduced into the topper 44.

As pointed out, the side frame I! is rockable as Well as being mobile.The mechanism for lowering and raising the frame I? is hydraulicallyoperated, and includes a cylinder 62 provided with a fluid operatedpiston attached to a rod 53 which is secured to a bracket 64a which inturn is fastened to tie bar 64, which is additionally provided with anelf-shoot bar 65. The bar 54 engages a U-shaped bracket 65 at theaperture 67. The U-sh-a'ped bracket -56 is also apertured at the freeend portion thereof, where it is pivotally secured to a bracket 6'8secured to a frame 59 which extends transversely across the front end ofthe digging harvesting assembly and is secured to tractor =15 by tieelements 69a, 69b and 690.

The rod 55 is likewise secured to a U-shaped bracket '15, in the samemanner that rod =54 isat 'tached to the U-shaped bracket '68, with saidbracket if? being pivoted to a bracket i!, which bracket H is in turnsecured to the rod 69, 'at a point spaced from the bracket 58. The U-shaped brackets 55 and have secured thereto transverse bars Ma and 66-?)so that said brackets move together.

As is more clearly show-n in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing, the frame1''? is lowered and raised by means of the manually opera ted-fluidoperated cylinder 62, through the means of a rod Fatima-t"- tached to apivoted link 521) which operates the hydraulic Valve. The movement ofthe hydraulic rod '63 causes the 'mov'ement of 'U-shaped brackets 56 andlb. The movement 'of U-shaped brackets 58 and lil causes the movementof'apair of spring loaded rods 7 5a which are secured to a U-shaped yokeM, which U-shaped-yeke T4 hasa pair of smaller U-shaped clamps Honesecured on each arm thereof, which U-shaped clamps .15

are secured to a crosspiece it, which in turn is secured to angle ironsH, which have the free ends thereof 'attach'ed'to the upright side'members 2B and 25 of the frame ll. Thus it can be seen that movement ofthe rods 54 and 55 in turn is transmitted to raise'or lower thegroundengaging pointed portions 36 and 51 through the assemblydescribed.

When rod 65 is moved forwardly the frame ll is raised from the ground,against the tension of a pair of spring loaded rods 1611. With theupward movement of the forward part of frame 11, the arm 1% which ispivotally mounted on the end of frame 69, moves through the action ofrod 16 in slot 160.

The frame I! rocks about a pivot bar 18 secured to an underframe 79,with additional strut members 80, 8! and 82 being secured to oppositesides of the upright members28 and 29 of the frame 17. There isadditionally provided a plurality of pairs of upstanding supportingmembers 83 and 84 on opposite sides of the frame ll, which pairs ofupstanding members are adapted to assist in securing a cover 85 over theendless chain 35, so that when the vegetables are transported upwardlyon said chain conveyor 35, they do not bounce ofi of the chain 35, andalso to prevent or decrease bruising of the vegetables from jouncingaround on the conveyor as the vegetables are moved upwardly andrearwardly to be deposited on the conveyor belt 31.

The frame 11 is mounted on said underframe 79 which has secured to itsunderside a rod 9 which is pivoted to underframe 19 at one end Mthereof, and is pivoted at the other end thereof to an axle SI uponwhich is mounted wheels 92. Secured to axle 3| by means of clamp 93, isa vertically movable rod 94. A rod 95 is pivotally secured to bracket 96mounted on carriage Ma. The other end of rod 95 is secured to thevertically movable rod 98 which moves against spring 91. This rockingwheel assembly is of conventional structure and does not per se form apart of the present invention In operation, the digging and harvestingassembly of the present invention generally includes the steps ofdigging the vegetables, conveying the vegetables to a topper, toppingthe vegetables, crating the topped vegetables, and depositing the cratedvegetables on the ground in a continuous operation, it being understoodthat dirt is separated from the vegetables during the conveying steps.

Various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope thereof,and it is therefore desired to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for digging and harvesting vegetables and adapted forattachment to a tractor for movement therewith comprising a mobilerocking frame of rectangular shape provided with upstanding sidemembers, said side members having pointed ground engaging por- I tionsat the forward ends thereof, an adjustable digger blade transverselydisposed at the forward end of said frame, an endless conveyor carriedby said frame between said upstanding side members and having aplurality of spaced-apart ladders adapted to convey the vegetablesupwardly and rearwardly, an endless belt disposed substantially at rightangles to said endless conveyor and adapted to receive vegetablestherefrom, a slideway at the discharge end of said endless belt, asecond slideway positioned beneath said first slideway, said firstslideway having inclined interior walls for guiding the vegetables whichfall therethrough into said second slideway, and a topper device in thepath of said second slideway.

2. An apparatus for digging and harvesting vegetables and adapted forattachment to a tractor for movement therewith comprising, a mobilerocking frame of rectangular shape provided with upstanding sidemembers, said side members having pointed ground engaging portions atthe forward ends thereof, an adjustable digger blade transverselydisposed at the forward end of said frame, and an endless conveyorcarried by said frame between said upstanding side members and having aplurality of spaced apart ladders adapted to convey the vegetablesupwardly and rearwardly.

3. An apparatus for digging and harvesting vegetables and adapted forattachment to a tractor for movement therewith comprising, a mobilerocking frame of rectangular shape provided with upstanding sidemembers, said side members having pointed ground engaging portions atthe forward ends thereof, an adjustable digger blade transverselydisposed at the forward end of said frame, an endless conveyor carriedby said frame between said upstanding side members and having aplurality of spaced apart ladders adapted to convey the vegetablesupwardly and rearwardly, an endless belt disposed sub stantially atright angles to said endless conveyorand adapted to receive vegetablestherefrom, and a topper device adapted to receive vegetables from thedischarge end of said endless belt.

SALVATORE VELLA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 811,524 Stewart Jan. 30, 1906832,817 Sherman Oct. 9, 1906 887,343 McNeal May 12, 1908 1,572,499Matheson Feb. 9, 1926 1,837,077 Siepp Dec. 15, 1931 1,873,352 Smith Aug.23, 1932 2,083,128 Sparks June 8, 1937 2,096,588 King Oct. 19, 19372,102,379 Nutter Dec. 14, 1937 2,227,818 Bayouth Jan. 7, 1941 2,470,211Bozeman et al May 17. 1949

